Adjustable bottom hole flow bean



Jan. 10, 1933.

E. S. DURWARD ADJUSTABLE BOTTOM HOLE FLOW BEAN.

Filed Feb. 5. 1950 4 ERIC S. DURWARD, OF DALLAS, TEXAS,

Patented as. re, 1933 UNITED-"(STATES assrelvoa T SHELL PETROLEUM oonroaa'rron,

" A CORPORATION OF VIBGINIA Q ADJUSTABLE, BOTTOM HOLE FLOW BEAN Application. filed February 3, 1930. Serial No. 425,467.

This invention relates to apparatus for causing flow of oil wells and particularly 'to the type of apparatus in which a choke or flow bean is employed in connection'with a flow tube.

In each well there is a particular rate of flow which is most desirable,lboth from the standpoint of efliciency in lift and from-the standpoint of preserving the well; One of the objects, therefore, of this invention is to provide choke means for efliciently flowing the well.

Since it has been foundthatachoke placed at the end of the tubing in the well gives the greatest efliciency, another object of this invention is to provide a bottom holeflow bean that is readily adjustable when the tubing is in position and from the top of the well.

Other" objects will appear 10m the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus.

, Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section through Fig. 1.

Tubing 1 carries at its lower end a valve seat 2. A sleeve element 3 is mounted on the tubing 1 and has attached to it a valve head 4 cooperating with the seat 2. The sleeve element including the stem is adjustable with respect'to the tubing and, therefore, to' the seat, by means of a coarse threaded connection 5, comprising external threads on the tubing 1 and internal threads on thesleeve 3.

The valve seat 2 is formed on an element 6' securely attached to the end of the tubing 1 by a threaded connection 7 comprising internal threads on the element 6 and external threads on the end of the tubing.

The sleeve 3'carries a bottom tubular member 8 connected to it by a threaded connection 9 comprising external threads on the sleeve 3" and internal threads on the bottom element 8.

The element 8 is formed with a shoulder 10' adapted to engage between it and the end of the sleeve .3, a spider 11 carrying the valve head 40. A nut 12 may secure the valve stem to thespider 11. V i v A plurality of spring elements 13, four as shown in the drawing, are mounted longitudinally of the bottom sleeve element 8..

Each of these spring elements is secured at its upper ends by screws 14 passing through the bottom element 8 and into the sleeve 3. At their bottom ends they are attached by sleeve element 8. These spring elements are so arranged as to normally givea diameter larger than the diameter of a well casing 17 into which the device is adapted to be low-: ered. These spring elements are compressible-sothat when in place they will accommodate themselves to the casing by means of the sliding engagement of the collar 16 with the bottom element 8. 'A strainer 18 may be placed on the bottom element 8 at the end of the assembly. v

A packing nut 19 and packin may be utilized to pack the top 0 t with reference to the tubing 1.

gland 20 l with referenceto the sleeve assembly, the valve head 4 will be adjusted vertically with reference to its seat 2by reason of the thread-' ed connection 5. Such adjustment would, of course be impossible after the tubing islowv screws 15 to a collar 16 slidable on the bottom e sleeve It will be seen that by turning the tubing ered in the well unless means be supplied to engage the sleeve assembly; but by reason of the sprin elements 13-, the sleeve assembly has a radial engagement with the casing walls, thus securing it against circumferential movement when the tubing is being turned to adjust the valve. But, the arrangement of the spring elements is such as to not interfere with the movement of the' tubing with its bottom assembly into position in the well.

The well is enclosed and the choke may be readily adjusted to prevent exhaustion of the rock pressure. The gas from the well is entrained with the liquid thus lightening the column which together with the reduction in rate of flow gives an-eflicient lift. The choke is readily adjusted from the top of the well thus enabling sueh'adjustment to be made whenever the conditionsoffiow or pressure in the well justifies or requires it.

' While the valve seat has been shown integral with the tubingand the headhas been shown integral with the sleeve, it is obvious that their positions may be reversed; that is, 19

the head may be made integral with the tubing and the seat a part of the sleeve assembly, yet maintaining the same mode of operation. It is obvious that other changes may be made in the details of construction within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim: An adjustable bottom hole flow bean ineluding a tubing ada ted to be inserted-in a well, a fitting secure to the end of the tubing, said fitting having an axial passage therethrough and forming a valve seat, a. sleeve about said fitting and in slidable contact therewith, said sleeve engaging external threads on the tubing above the tting, a tube secured to the sleeve and extending below said sleeve, a valve head carried by a spider secured to the sleeve, and bow-springs mount- 33 ed on said sleeve for. engaging the wall of the well to prevent circumferential movement of the sleeve whereby the relative position of the valve seat and valve head may be adjusted from the top of the well by rotating the tubing, said fitting being of sufiicient external diameter to limit the downward movement of the valve head and sleeve. 7

ERIC S. DURWARD. 

